Hibernian's Stevie Mallan became a free-kick specialist so he could be guaranteed a game - and because school was boring

The Hibernian midfielder comes from a footballing family, dad Stevie was a fine player himself and something of a legend in the Juniors, so kicking a ball is in his DNA.

How well he can kick it, and few in the Premiership possess a sweeter strike, is down to him putting in the hours while he was still dreaming about one day making it.

Mallan scored nine times for Hibs before October, almost every one a contender for goal of the season, and all from outside the box. From free-kicks to spectacular efforts from distance, the midfielder was finding the top corner at will.

It was no fluke. Mallan was smarter than most when he was at school, at least outside the classroom, and realised that if he became a dead ball specialist then it might, just might, give him more of a chance.

Speaking from Hibs' base in Dubai, Mallan said: “I hit a few great goals at the start. I maybe shot myself in the foot by getting off to such a flyer. I was on cloud nine over the first two months. I thought I was going to Real Madrid! I scored some cracking goals.

“I do put time into working on my shooting, on the free-kicks, and I did it a lot more when I was younger than I do now. I had more time back then. When I was bored at school I would take a bag of balls, which my dad always made sure I had, and I would hit free-kicks through sheer boredom.

“I always played football and wanted to make sure I had a different side to my game which would put me ahead of the rest. Every side I played in, I was on set-pieces, corners and free-kicks, which are so important in football.

“So, I would be there on my day off, with a seven-aside goal in front of a full sized goal – I’d used it as a wall – I’d have a few friends with me and I would practice. I reaped the benefits of that at the start of the season and, honestly, I’m dying for one now.

“You’ve got to work hard. At every club I’ve been at, the boys ask me how I got my technique when it comes to actually hitting the ball, and it’s years of practice, it’s not something which comes naturally.

“If you are a boy who doesn’t take a lot of free-kicks, you will hit the ball differently from those of us who take them regularly. It’s like a golf swing. You practice, practice, practice.

“My dad would video me from behind the goal so I could study my technique. As the years went on I changed a little bit. I would count how many steps I’d take, which foot went in front of the other, just that repetitiveness. It helps with you seeing the goal and it’s paid off.

“Hey, I was woeful at the start. The ball was flying everywhere. A few windows got threatened.”

Mallan's last goals were a double against Hamilton on October 6. It is no coincidence that when he stopped scoring, Hibs’ began to drop points and slip down the table.

They sit in eighth place, not great, but it’s not quite a disaster because Neil Lennon’s side are genuinely better than the table would suggest, and with some new signings and an upturn in form, the draws should turn into wins.

Mallan said: “As a team, we know we shouldn’t be where we are in the league. We know some of our performances haven’t been the best. The good games were against Rangers and Celtic, and as a team we need to take those performances against the so-called bigger teams to the ones near the bottom of the league.

“We need to start performing better. We should not be eighth, not this club. The manager has reiterated most days that the standards haven’t been as he wanted them to be. We do have a half season to go and I’m sure everyone will give their all to improve.

“We’ve had too many draws. We win them and we would be having a different conversation."

There have been a few harsh conversations between Neil Lennon and his players this season.

Not that Mallan has a problem with his manager having a go.

He said: "The manager says it the way it is. He will tell us before he said anything in public. The standards are not what they should have been. It’s not as if what he said hasn’t been true. We know what we have to do.

“When results aren’t going your way, you need someone on your back. That’s the kind of manager you want. He’s not the type to take a back seat and let us get on with our own thing. He is on our backs every day, making sure training is always good.

“I actually wouldn’t say our standards have dropped per se but there have been frustrating games. We drew with St Mirren at home, we drew with Livingston, we were 2-0 up on Dundee and drew 2-2.

“We need to start showing our supporters where Hibs are as a team and begin to get up that table.”